"Ya devi sarbabhuteshshu,sakti rupena sanksthita
Namasteshwai Namasteshwai Namasteshwai namo namaha."

 [Story in FLASH]

Storms of the summer have waned off ,the dripping rains of the moonsoons gradually gives place to the crystal clear sky as only fleecy clouds flow by the glassy firmament...the gentle lull of the gastly wind passes by the green fields creating a wave of lively dance....the grass seems greener as ever swiveling in the breeze busking in the golden sunshine...slowly as the days pass by the white 'Kash Phul" starts to blossom in the endless stretches of land- the people know its autumn again...and its the month of 'Ashwin' ,the time of mother's home coming....
The time has arrived for the mother to come ..for the people to meet their beloved ones ..and to worship the Power ..and the glory of "Streesakti"(women power)...as the Devipaksha(the term of the mother) takes over Pitripaksha (pitri=father) for the time onwards...
Durga - Goddess of deliverance - comes to earth on the seventh day after the autumn new moon. Seven days before Her arrival starts the Devipaksha. The day is being observed as ‘Mahalaya’, the day of invocation. In the dark night of amabasya (new moon), people pray to Goddess Durga to arrive in the earth to ward off all evils. On the dawn of ‘Mahalaya’, homes in Bengal resonate with the immortal verses of the ‘Chandipath’ (chanting of the hymns of ‘Chandi’).

'Mahalaya' is not an myth but a concept ..and a tribute..to the primeval source of power..the qualities of all inundated in form of one shaki ..one Nari..the unity of power, energy and enterprise within one soul one body..she is manifestation of the same individual in different forms and different names....She is one and yet known by many names. She is Narayani, Brahmani, Maheshwari, Shivaduti and She is the fierceful ‘Chamunda’, decked with a garland of skulls...the godess of power is eternal ..she has no birth ..no specific physical form ...but is an manifestation of majestic might..an unified strength..preeminently materialised to protect humanity ..and restore normalcy in the process of creation from the evil incernates......